Fuel preheat for engine start

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for providing heated fuel to a fuel injector of an engine are provided. One example method comprises maintaining a volume of fuel above a start-ready temperature during a pre-start interval, the pre-start interval beginning after the engine is turned off, beginning automatically, and ending when the engine is restarted, the start-ready temperature greater than a lowest temperature of the engine during the pre-start interval. The method further comprises delivering some of the volume of fuel to the fuel injector when the engine is about to be restarted. According to the approaches described herein, adequate cold-start fuel atomization may be provided without compromising driver satisfaction due to excessive pre-ignition delay, while at the same time reducing unnecessary heating of fuel during warm engine off conditions. Further, the approaches described herein may be enacted inexpensively in a wide variety of motor-vehicle configurations.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates to the fields of motor-vehicle fuelsystems and motor-vehicle emissions control.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

Emissions-control performance in a motor-vehicle engine system dependson effective atomization of the liquid fuel. When fuel entering thecombustion chamber of an engine is inadequately atomized, increasedhydrocarbon and/or other emissions may result. This effect may beespecially evident shortly after a cold start of the engine, when thefuel and the engine are both cold. Moreover, ignition of the fuel undercold-start conditions may be unreliable when the fuel is inadequatelyatomized.

Achieving adequate cold-start fuel atomization may be especiallydifficult in a gasoline direct-injection (GDI) engine, where theair/fuel mixing interval is short, and in engines where highsurface-tension, low-volatility alcohol fuels are used in place ofgasoline. It is known, however, that a heated fuel may be atomized moreeasily than a cold fuel. Approaches for improving cold-start fuelatomization have therefore included heating the fuel as soon as a coldstart is requested, e.g., when a driver of the motor vehicle turns theignition key. The fuel may be heated via one or more resistively heatedengine elements—injection impingement plates, ports, injectors, forexample. Alternatively, the fuel may be heated via the combustion air.

These approaches all share a common feature: a wait-to-start intervalbeginning when the cold-start is requested and continuing until a liquidor solid body has reached a given temperature. By delaying ignitionuntil after the wait-to-start interval, a disadvantageous trade-offbetween motor-vehicle cost and driver satisfaction may be manifest.Specifically, driver satisfaction may require a short wait-to-startinterval, so that ignition occurs promptly after the cold-start request.But a short wait-to-start interval may require significantpower-delivery from fuel-heating engine elements, resulting in increasedmotor-vehicle cost.

The inventors herein have recognized the disadvantages noted above andhave provided an approach to address this paradox. In one embodiment, amethod for providing heated fuel to a fuel injector of an engine isprovided. The method comprises maintaining a volume of fuel above astart-ready temperature during a pre-start interval, the pre-startinterval beginning after the engine is turned off, beginningautomatically, and ending when the engine is restarted, the start-readytemperature greater than a lowest temperature of the engine during thepre-start interval. The method further comprises delivering some of thevolume of fuel to the fuel injector when the engine is about to berestarted. Other embodiments of the present disclosure provide moreparticular methods and systems for providing heated fuel to an engine.According to the various approaches described herein, adequatecold-start fuel atomization may be provided without compromising driversatisfaction due to excessive pre-ignition delay, while at the same timereducing unnecessary heating of fuel during warm engine off conditions.Further, the approaches described herein may be enacted inexpensively ina wide variety of motor-vehicle configurations.

It will be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce insimplified form a selection of concepts that are further described inthe detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essentialfeatures of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined bythe claims that follow the detailed description. Further, the claimedsubject matter is not limited to implementations that solve anydisadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a first example system for providing fuel to an engine of amotor vehicle, in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 shows a second example system for providing fuel to an engine ofa motor vehicle, in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 shows a third example system for providing fuel to an engine of amotor vehicle, in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 shows a fourth example system for providing fuel to an engine ofa motor vehicle, in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 shows a fifth example system for providing fuel to an engine of amotor vehicle, in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 shows a sixth example system for providing fuel to an engine of amotor vehicle, in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example method for providing fuel to an engine ofa motor vehicle, in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a first example system 10 for providing fuel to an engineof a motor vehicle. More specifically, system 10 is one example of alocal, pumped-circulation fuel-delivery system with an added pump. Thesystem includes container 12, which is configured to store a volume offuel. The container may have any capacity ranging from a few millilitersto several liters. Further, the capacity of the container may be matchedto one or more characteristics of the engine and/or the motor vehicle inwhich the engine is installed. For example, the container may beconfigured to store sufficient fuel to allow the engine to operate undernormal speed and load conditions over a warm-up interval, where thewarm-up interval may correspond to the time required for a coolant ofthe engine to warm from a cold, ambient temperature to a nominaloperating temperature.

Container 12 may be configured to store a hydrocarbon fuel (gasoline,diesel fuel, etc.), an alcohol fuel (methanol, ethanol, etc.), and/or amixture thereof (E15, E85, etc.). Further, the container may beconfigured to store such fuels at greater-than-ambient temperatures.For, example, the container may be configured to store the hydrocarbonand/or alcohol fuel over a temperature range that includes an ambienttemperature and approaches a boiling point of the fuel. Therefore, aninterior of container may be fabricated from materials resistant toheated hydrocarbon and/or alcohol fuels.

Container 12 may be insulated to limit a transport of heat through thewalls thereof. For example, the container may be wrapped or covered witha thermally insulating material—glass wool, polystyrene foam, etc. Thecontainer may include a heat-reflective foil or other coating. In someexamples, the container may be a vacuum-enclosing vessel such as athermos® or Dewar-type vessel.

FIG. 1 shows heater 14, which is configured to maintain a temperature ofthe volume of fuel above a start-ready temperature during a pre-startinterval. The pre-start interval may be any period of time beginningautomatically after the engine is turned off and ending when the engineis restarted. The term ‘beginning automatically,’ is used herein toindicate that the pre-start interval may begin independent of any actionof an operator of the motor vehicle—independent of a driver dooropening, independent of an ignition key turning, etc. For example, thepre-start interval may begin when the engine is turned off. In otherexamples, the pre-start interval may begin some predetermined period oftime after the engine is turned off (2 hours after, 30 minutes after,etc.). In still other examples, the pre-start interval may begin when anengine temperature (an engine-component temperature, an engine-coolanttemperature, etc.) drops below a threshold temperature; the thresholdtemperature may be set a few degrees above the start-ready temperature.

The start-ready temperature may be any desirable fuel temperature forthe fuel supplied to the engine when the engine is restarted. In oneexample, the start-ready temperature may be chosen so that the fuel, ifsupplied at or above the start-ready temperature, may be effectivelyatomized via a fuel injector of the engine, thereby enablingsatisfactory emissions-control and/or cold-start performance. In thisexample, fuel injected at the start-ready temperature is not cold enoughto impair emissions-control performance of the motor vehicle due toinadequate atomization. In another example, the start-ready temperaturemay be chosen so that the fuel, if supplied to the engine below thestart-ready temperature, may not be effectively atomized via a fuelinjector of the engine. Therefore, it may be advantageous to supply thefuel at or above the start-ready temperature in order to enablesatisfactory emissions-control and/or cold-start performance.

Depending on the motor-vehicle configuration, on ambient conditions, andon the period of time elapsed since the engine was turned off, thestart-ready temperature may be greater than a lowest temperature of theengine during the pre-start interval. Therefore, the heater may beconfigured to supply heat to the volume of fuel in the container duringthe pre-start interval, either continuously or intermittently. The heatsupplied by the heater may be derived from any suitable energy source.For example, the heater may be an electrical resistive heater, derivingenergy from an electrical power supply—a plug-in power supply externalto the motor vehicle, a battery and/or alternator of the motor vehicle,etc. In other examples, the heater may be a heat exchanger deriving heatenergy from the engine or from an exhaust system of the motor vehicle.In still other examples, the heater may be a heat exchanger derivingenergy from a solar panel mounted on the motor vehicle.

Although heater 14 is shown in FIG. 1 schematically disposed withincontainer 12, it will be understood from the above examples that theheater may comprise a plurality of components disposed inside as well asoutside the container. Further, the heater may be operatively coupled toother motor-vehicle components—an electronic control unit, a temperaturesensor, etc.

FIG. 1 shows fuel rail 16 of the engine, which is coupled to a pluralityof fuel injectors. Fuel may be supplied to the fuel rail from afuel-storage tank via a lift pump (not shown in FIG. 1), and provided toa plurality of combustion chambers in the engine via fuel injectors 18.Thus, the engine that is provided fuel in this embodiment may be a GDIengine. In other embodiments, one or more fuel injectors may supply fuelto an intake manifold: thus, the engine may be port-injected as well.

FIG. 1 shows a fuel-handling system coupled to the container andconfigured to cause the fuel to flow from the container to the fuel railwhen the engine is about to be restarted. One or more elements of thefuel-handling system may be triggered by other motor-vehicle componentsconfigured to sense when the engine is about to be restarted. Variousreadily detectable conditions or events may indicate that the engine isabout to be restarted: a turning of an ignition key or ignition switch,a depression of a brake pedal when the engine is turned off, an openingof the driver's door from the outside, for example. In one embodiment,an electronic control unit of the motor vehicle may be configured todetect such a condition (or conditions), and in response, trigger thefuel-handling system. As indicated above, heater 14 is configured tomaintain the temperature of a volume of fuel at or above the start-readytemperature during the pre-start interval, which extends to the timethat the engine is restarted. It follows that the fuel supplied to thefuel rail when the fuel-handling system is triggered may be at or abovethe start-ready temperature.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the fuel-handling systemincludes pump 20, which is configured to pump the fuel from fuel rail 16to container 12 when the engine is about to be restarted. The pump maybe configured to move the fuel from the fuel rail to the containerfaster than the fuel is supplied from the fuel-storage tank or consumedby the engine. Therefore, pumping the fuel from the fuel rail to thecontainer may result in a substantially equivalent counterflow of fuelat or above the start-ready temperature from the container to the fuelrail. In this manner, the fuel-handling system is configured to exchangeat least some of the fuel in the container with the fuel in the fuelrail when the engine is about to be restarted.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the fuel-handling systemincludes one-way pressure-actuated valves 22 and 24, provided to limitconvective heat transfer from container 12. Each of the one-way,pressure-actuated valves referred to herein may be any valve configuredto transmit fuel in one direction when the pressure across the valveexceeds a threshold pressure, but to block transmission of the fuel whenthe pressure does not exceed the threshold pressure. Thus, a one-waypressure-actuated valve may transmit fuel in one direction only.Similarly, a check valve is a species of one-way pressure-actuated valvein which the threshold pressure is a small (e.g., small relative to thepressure rating of the valve). In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1,one or both of the one-way pressure-actuated valves may be check valves.

It will be understood that FIG. 1 and subsequent drawings are schematicand not intended to represent spatial relationships among systemcomponents in any embodiment. Further, the various system components mayand will include structure that is not shown in the drawings. In someembodiments, the conduit through which fuel enters container 12 frompump 20 may be at least partly different than the conduit through whichfuel exits the container to fuel rail 16. Further, the disposition ofthe conduits may be determined by the placement of heater 14 and otherconfigurational details. In particular, the conduits may be configuredso that colder fuel enters the container from the bottom (via a diptube, for example), and heated fuel is drawn off from the top.

FIG. 2 shows a second example system 26 for providing fuel to an engineof a motor vehicle. More specifically, system 26 is one example of aglobal, pumped-circulation fuel-delivery system, which uses aconventional lift pump. In this and subsequent embodiments, elementsthat are substantially the same as in a previous embodiment arerendered, labeled, and named the same as in the previous embodiment, andare described no further. In will be understood, however, thatidentically named elements in different embodiments of the presentdisclosure may be at least partly different. Likewise, functionalaspects of this and subsequent embodiments, if substantially the same asin a previous embodiment, are presented with a minimum of functionaldescription.

FIG. 2 shows a fuel-storage tank 28 and associated lift pump 30. In thisembodiment, the fuel-storage tank is configured to receive fuel fromfuel rail 16, and the lift pump is configured to pump the fuel from thefuel-storage tank to container 12 when the engine is about to berestarted. Fuel at or above the start-ready temperature, therebydisplaced from the container, is forced into the fuel rail and suppliedto the plurality of fuel injectors 18; unused fuel from the fuel railmay re-enter the fuel-storage tank via return path 32. In this manner,fuel entering the container forces fuel maintained above the start-readytemperature into the fuel rail, which forces fuel from the fuel railinto the fuel-storage tank when the engine is about to be restarted.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the return path includes anadditional one-way, pressure-activated valve 33. This valve isconfigured to maintain pressurization in the fuel rail while permittingfuel to return to the fuel-storage tank. In another embodiment, aregulator may be used in place of one-way, pressure-activated valve 33.

In various embodiments, lift pump 30 may be configured to move the fuelnot only when the engine is about to be restarted, but during otherperiods as well. In one example, the pump may be configured to pump thefuel whenever the engine is operating in addition to when the engine isabout to be restarted. However, by activating the pump at least when theengine is about to be restarted, a volume of fuel substantially at orabove the start-ready temperature may be provided to the plurality offuel injectors 18 when the engine is restarted.

FIG. 3 shows a third example system 34 for providing fuel to an engineof a motor vehicle. More specifically, system 34 is one example of avapor push-out system having no extra pumps. Subsequent embodiments(vide infra) show other such examples. In this embodiment, thefuel-handling system includes lift pump 30 configured to draw fuel fromfuel-storage tank 28, GDI pump 36 configured to supply the fuel to fuelrail 16, and a normally closed valve 38 configured to admit fuel fromthe fuel rail to the fuel-storage tank when the engine is about to berestarted. In this embodiment, the GDI pump and the normally closedvalve are disposed in parallel and coupled to an outlet of the lift pumpvia two-way pressure-actuated valve 40. A two-way pressure-actuatedvalve may be any valve that is a functional equivalent of two one-waypressure-actuated valves disposed in parallel, with the inlet of eachvalve coupled to the outlet of the other valve. A two-waypressure-actuated valve may admit of a threshold pressure for flow inone direction that differs from the threshold pressure for flow in theopposite direction.

Continuing in FIG. 3, normally closed valve 38 may be directly orindirectly controllable via an electronic control unit of the motorvehicle; it may be a hydraulically or electrically actuated valve—asolenoid-actuated valve, for example. In this embodiment, openingnormally closed valve 38 allows cold fuel from fuel rail 16 to beflushed into fuel-storage tank 28 by the pressurized fuel in container12. Therefore, two-way pressure-actuated valve 40 may have a thresholdpressure for return of fuel to the fuel tank which is on the order ofthe vapor pressure of the fuel at the start-ready temperature.

In this embodiment, the vapor pressure of the heated fuel in container12 is the motive force used to push the heated fuel into fuel rail 16.In other words, vapor pressure of fuel maintained above the start-readytemperature pushes the fuel from the container to the fuel rail, andfrom the fuel rail to the fuel-storage tank, when the engine is about tobe restarted. In moving from the container to the fuel rail, the heatedfuel passes through one-way, pressure activated valve 42, which isconfigured to provide relatively little restriction to the flow of fuelin the indicated direction. In other, similar embodiments, afloat-actuated valve may be used to stop heated fuel from exiting thecontainer once the level has dropped to a near-empty position. Thisaspect relieves the control system from the task of estimating how muchfuel is pushed out when normally closed valve 38 is opened.

In this and similar embodiments, the capacity of container 12 may begreater than that of fuel rail 16 so that the fuel rail may be purgedmultiple times prior to engine start, for increased heating efficacy.Further, GDI pump 36 may include an integrated outlet check valve.Other, similar embodiments may include a pressure-relief valve forcontainer 12, to prevent the pressure inside the container fromexceeding the ratings of various components. In the embodiment of FIG.3, normally closed valve 38 may be used for pressure relief at fuel rail16, to control fuel injector leakage, etc. Further, in embodiments wherea pressurized gaseous fuel is available, the pressure of the gaseousfuel may be used to exchange the cold fuel for the heated fuel.

After the heated volume of fuel is discharged from container 12, fuelfrom the fuel rail may refill the container via orifice 43. Therestriction in the orifice is configured to control the refill rate andallow fuel rail 16 to be pressurized by GDI pump 36 before the containeris filled. Further, the heater may be operatively coupled to othermotor-vehicle components—an electronic control unit, a temperaturesensor, etc.

FIG. 4 shows a fourth example system 44 for providing fuel to an engineof a motor vehicle. This embodiment does not include a GDI pump; it maybe appropriate for a port-injection engine, for example. In otherrespects, this embodiment is similar to the previous embodiment. Thefuel-handling system in FIG. 4 includes lift pump 30 configured to drawfuel from fuel-storage tank 28, and normally closed valve 46 configuredto admit fuel from container 12 to fuel rail 16 when the engine is aboutto be restarted. Opening normally closed valve 46 allows cold fuel fromfuel rail 16 to be flushed into fuel-storage tank 28 by the pressurizedfuel in container 12.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 shows a single conduit linkingcontainer 12 to normally closed valve 46. In other embodiments, however,the fuel may pass into the container via a restrictive orifice, and outof the container via a one-way, pressure activated valve presentingrelatively little restriction to the flow, as shown in FIG. 3. Refillingis controlled such that it does not drop pressure in the railprecipitously during engine operation.

FIG. 5 shows a fifth example system 48 for providing fuel to an engineof a motor vehicle. The fuel-handling system in FIG. 5 includes liftpump 30 configured to draw fuel from fuel-storage tank 28, firstnormally closed valve 50 configured to admit fuel from fuel rail 16 tofuel-storage tank 28 when the engine is about to be restarted, GDI pump52 configured to supply fuel to the fuel rail, two-way pressure-actuatedvalve 40 disposed between the lift pump and the GDI pump, secondnormally closed valve 54 configured to admit the fuel from the containerto the GDI pump when the engine is about to be restarted, and one-way,pressure-actuated valve 56, also known as a ‘pressure-relief valve,’disposed parallel to the second normally closed valve and configured torelease the fuel from container 12 when the container isover-pressurized.

In this and other embodiments, GDI pump 52 may include integratedcomponents not shown in the drawing: an outlet check valve, apressure-relief valve, and a controllable inlet check valve, asexamples. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, container 12 isdisposed on the low pressure side of GDI pump 52. This configurationprovides for minimal injector leak at key-off because the fuel railpressure can remain low while the heated fuel is at or above its vaporpressure. Normally closed valves 50 and 54 may be actuated as describedin the previous embodiment, when the engine is about to be restarted. Inaddition, second normally closed valve 54 may be actuated when thecontainer is refilled.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, cold fuel from the fuel rail isreturned to a point that is downstream of lift pump 30 but downstream oftwo-way, pressure-activated valve 40 (relative to the normal fuel supplyflow). In other embodiments, the conduit that returns the fuel may beplumbed to the other side of the two-way, pressure activated valve forreduced fuel-handling system cost.

FIG. 6 shows a sixth example system 58 for providing fuel to an engineof a motor vehicle. In this embodiment, the fuel-handling system issimilar to that of the previous embodiment, but further includes asecond one-way pressure-actuated valve 60 configured to admit the fuelfrom the fuel rail 16 to container 12 when the fuel rail isover-pressurized.

Normally closed valves 50 and 54 are actuated as described in theprevious embodiment. One-way pressure-actuated valve 56 may beconfigured as a pressure-relief valve. In this embodiment, one-waypressure-actuated valve 60 is configured to control the refilling ofcontainer 12. As such, it may have a relatively high threshold pressure,e.g., 300 p.s.i. to open. Further, GDI pump 52 may include integratedcomponents as described in the previous embodiment. As in the previousembodiment, container 12 is disposed on the low-pressure side of the GDIpump. In this and other embodiments, the pressure in the fuel rail maybe driven to a default pressure even in the event that a fuel railpressure sensor should fail.

FIG. 7 shows an example method 62 for providing heated fuel to anengine. The method may be enabled via one or more of the embodimentsdescribed herein. Therefore, continued reference is made to variousaspects of the embodiments. It will be understood, however, that themethod may be enabled by other configurations as well.

The method begins at 64, where fuel is flowed into a container, e.g.container 12. The fuel may be flowed into the container via afuel-handling system substantially as set forth above. The methodcontinues to 66, where it is determined whether power for heating thefuel inside the container is available. The availability of power may beassessed in a variety of different ways, depending on the particularconfiguration in use. It may include, for example, measuring a batteryvoltage, measuring an engine coolant temperature, a temperature of fluidin a heat exchanger, etc.

If power for heating the fuel inside the container is available, then at68, it is determined whether the temperature of the fuel in thecontainer is above or below the start-ready temperature. In someexamples, the temperature of the fuel may be measured directly, as witha thermocouple or other temperature sensor operatively coupled to anelectronic control unit of the motor vehicle. If the fuel in thecontainer is below the start-ready temperature, then at 70, heat isapplied to the fuel in the container. Heat may be applied in any mannerset forth in the example configurations herein, or in any other suitablemanner. In this way, a volume of fuel may be maintained above astart-ready temperature during a pre-start interval, the pre-startinterval beginning automatically after the engine is turned off andending when the engine is restarted. Further, the start-readytemperature may be greater than a lowest temperature of the engineduring the pre-start interval.

Execution of method 62 continues at 72, where it is determined whetherthe engine is about to be restarted. The determination of whether theengine is about to be restarted may be based on a trigger from anignition system of the motor vehicle, as described above, or based on adriver-side door opening from the outside, etc. If it is determined thatthe engine is not about to be restarted, then execution resumes at 66.However, if it is determined that the engine is about to restarted, thenat 74, fuel from the insulated container is flowed into the fuel rail ofthe engine, and the method returns to 64. The fuel may be flowed intothe fuel rail via a fuel-handling system as described above in variousexample embodiments. In this manner, a volume of heated fuel may bedelivered to the engine when the engine is restarted.

It will be understood that the example control and estimation routinesdisclosed herein may be used with various system configurations. Theseroutines may represent one or more different processing strategies suchas event-driven, interrupt-driven, multi-tasking, multi-threading, andthe like. As such, the disclosed process steps (operations, functions,and/or acts) may represent code to be programmed into computer readablestorage medium in a control system. It will be understood that some ofthe process steps described and/or illustrated herein may in someembodiments be omitted without departing from the scope of thisdisclosure.

Thus, a particularly simple method for providing heated fuel to a fuelinjector of an engine, which is fully consistent with this disclosure,includes, at least under selected conditions, heating the fuel to abovea temperature of the engine prior to any indication from the driver thatthe engine is about to be restarted, and delivering some of the fuelmaintained above the start-ready temperature to the fuel injector whenthe driver restarts the engine.

Likewise, the indicated sequence of the process steps may not always berequired to achieve the intended results, but is provided for ease ofillustration and description. One or more of the illustrated actions,functions, or operations may be performed repeatedly, depending on theparticular strategy being used.

Finally, it will be understood that the systems and methods describedherein are exemplary in nature, and that these specific embodiments orexamples are not to be considered in a limiting sense, because numerousvariations are contemplated. Accordingly, the present disclosureincludes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations ofthe various systems and methods disclosed herein, as well as any and allequivalents thereof.

1. A method for providing heated fuel to a fuel injector of an engine,the method comprising: maintaining a volume of fuel above a start-readytemperature during a pre-start interval, the pre-start intervalbeginning after the engine is turned off, beginning automatically, andending when the engine is restarted, the start-ready temperature greaterthan a lowest temperature of the engine during the pre-start interval;and delivering some of the volume of fuel maintained above thestart-ready temperature to the fuel injector when the engine is about tobe restarted.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-start intervalbegins when the engine is turned off.
 3. The method of claim 1 enactedin a motor vehicle, wherein fuel injected at the start-ready temperatureis not cold enough to impair emissions-control performance of the motorvehicle due to inadequate atomization.
 4. The method of claim 1, whereinmaintaining the volume of fuel above the start-ready temperatureincludes heating the fuel.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein maintainingthe volume of fuel above the start-ready temperature further includesheating the fuel only if power is available to heat the fuel.
 6. Themethod of claim 1 enacted in a motor vehicle, wherein delivering some ofthe volume of fuel to the fuel injector is triggered by actuating anignition switch of the motor vehicle or opening a driver's door of themotor vehicle.
 7. A system for providing fuel to an engine, the systemcomprising: a fuel injector; a container configured to store fuel; aheater configured to maintain a temperature of the fuel above astart-ready temperature during a pre-start interval, the pre-startinterval beginning after the engine is turned off, beginningautomatically, and ending when the engine is restarted, the start-readytemperature greater than a lowest temperature of the engine during thepre-start interval; and a fuel-handling system coupled to the containerand configured to cause the fuel to flow from the container to the fuelinjector when the engine is about to be restarted.
 8. The system ofclaim 7, wherein the container is one or more of thermally insulated andvacuum enclosing.
 9. The system of claim 7 installed in a motor vehicle,wherein the heater and fuel-handling system are operatively coupled toan electronic control unit of the motor vehicle.
 10. The system of claim7, wherein the heater includes an electric heater.
 11. The system ofclaim 7, wherein the heater includes a heat exchanger.
 12. The system ofclaim 7, wherein the handling system includes a first check valvedisposed at an inlet of the container and a second check valve disposedat an outlet of the container.
 13. The system of claim 7, wherein thefuel-handling system includes a pump configured to pump the fuel from afuel rail of the engine to the container when the engine is about to berestarted.
 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the fuel-handling systemis further configured to exchange at least some of the fuel in thecontainer with the fuel in the fuel rail when the engine is about to berestarted.
 15. The system of claim 7, further comprising a fuel-storagetank configured to receive the fuel from a fuel rail of the engine atleast when the engine is about to be restarted, wherein thefuel-handling system includes a lift pump configured to pump the fuelfrom the fuel-storage tank to the container at least when the engine isabout to be restarted.
 16. The system of claim 15, wherein fuel enteringthe container forces fuel maintained above the start-ready temperatureinto the fuel rail, which forces fuel from the fuel rail into thefuel-storage tank when the engine is about to be restarted.
 17. Thesystem of claim 7, further comprising a fuel-storage tank, wherein thefuel-handling system further comprises a lift pump configured to drawthe fuel from the fuel-storage tank, a GDI pump configured to supply thefuel to a fuel rail of the engine, and a normally closed valveconfigured to admit the fuel from the fuel rail to the fuel-storage tankwhen the engine is about to be restarted, and wherein the GDI pump andthe normally closed valve are disposed in parallel and coupled to anoutlet of the lift pump via a two-way pressure-actuated valve.
 18. Thesystem of claim 7, further comprising a fuel-storage tank, wherein avapor pressure of fuel maintained above the start-ready temperaturepushes the fuel from the container to the fuel rail, and from the fuelrail to the fuel-storage tank, when the engine is about to be restarted.19. The system of claim 7, further comprising a fuel-storage tank,wherein the fuel-handling system further comprises a pump configured todraw the fuel from the fuel-storage tank and a normally closed valveconfigured to admit the fuel from the container to a fuel rail of theengine when the engine is about to be restarted.
 20. The system of claim7, further comprising a fuel-storage tank, wherein the fuel-handlingsystem further comprises a lift pump configured to draw the fuel fromthe fuel-storage tank, a first normally closed valve configured to admitthe fuel from a fuel rail of the engine to the fuel-storage tank whenthe engine is about to be restarted, a GDI pump configured to supply thefuel to the fuel rail, a two-way, pressure-actuated valve disposedbetween the lift pump and the GDI pump, a second normally closed valveconfigured to admit the fuel from the container to the GDI pump when theengine is about to be restarted, and a one-way, pressure-actuated valvedisposed parallel to the second normally closed valve and configured torelease the fuel from the container.
 21. The system of claim 20, whereinthe fuel-handling system further comprises a second one-way,pressure-actuated valve configured to admit the fuel from the fuel railto the container.
 22. A method for providing heated fuel to a fuelinjector of an engine in a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle operated bya driver, the method comprising: at least under selected conditions,heating the fuel to above a temperature of the engine prior to anyindication from the driver that the engine is about to be restarted;delivering some of the fuel to the fuel injector when the driverrestarts the engine.